Victorian stallions made their mark both on and off the racetrack in no uncertain manner on both sides of the Tasman last weekend.

The first two classics for two-year-olds this year, the listed $30,000 Western Crown, run at Gloucester Park, were both won by progeny of Victorian sires.

The colonial bred Soho Tribeca (pictured), who stands at Dr Kath McIntosh’s Llowalong Farms, Kyabram, figures as the sire of Cease To React, who made it two starts for two wins when he outgunned his rivals in the colts and geldings’ section.

The fillies’ division was taken out brilliantly by the debutant Miss Red Velvet, a filly bred by Alabar Bloodstock in New Zealand and a daughter of the world champion Always B Miki, who stands at Alabar’s Echuca nursery.

The Group 3 $50,000 Simpson Memorial, the first three-year-old classic on the NSW calendar, was effortlessly won by the undefeated Victorian youngster Always Hot, another son of Always B Miki.

On the sales front, Alabar’s resident stallion Captain Crunch produced the top priced filly at $54,000 at the Australian Pacing Gold Queensland yearling sale at Ipswich on Sunday.

To put the icing on the cake, Just Believe, a gelding by the French horse Orlando Vici, one of the frozen semen roster at Pat Driscoll’s Haras Des Trotteurs, was named NZ Horse of the Year and Trotter of the Year at the annual Harness Racing NZ awards night at Addington.

A pair of Victorian sires, Volstead (Haras Des Trotteurs), the sire of the NZ 3YO Trotting Filly of the Year Keayang Zahara, and Majestic Son (Alabar), the sire of the leading trotting mare One More Moment, dead-heated for the NZ Trotting Stallion of the Year award.

Merlin, the NZ 4YO Pacer of the Year, is a product of Alabar Bloodstock’s flagship sire Art Major.

Hexham Heartbeat, a former Vicbred champion, left winners in two States last weekend. Our Ultimate Layla (by Bettor’s Delight) won at Penrith, while Beat Sweet (by Sweet Lou) scored at Launceston

The Narcissist, who was bred by Rochester couple Garry and Kaye Coghill, became the latest Victorian pacer to enter the 1:50 list when he was successful in 1:49.8 at Menangle

The American-bred trotting mare Nabrina (by Father Patrick), who was imported to Australia by Ballarat breeder Pat Driscoll, won her first race at his third start at Geelong. Her dam Magic Woman is a Kadabra half-sister to the Hambletonian Oaks winner Personal Style.